


HMS Samezuka

by DolphinGirl



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, F/M, M/M, Merman Nanase Haruka, Minor Hazuki Nagisa/Ryuugazaki Rei, Minor Mikoshiba Momotarou/Nitori Aiichirou, Minor Mikoshiba Seijuurou/Matsuoka Gou - Freeform, Minor Tachibana Makoto/Yamazaki Sousuke
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-01
Updated: 2015-04-01
Packaged: 2018-03-20 18:41:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3661005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DolphinGirl/pseuds/DolphinGirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Captain Matsuoka Rin has dedicated his life in search of one thing. Will he ever find it? Join him on his quest with his crew of the HMS Samezuka to find the elusive Mermaids.</p>
            </blockquote>





	HMS Samezuka

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is the first fanfiction I have written in a long time. But, I've been obsessing over this fandom for a while now since my friend has gotten me to watch the show. I hope I do it justice. I know I put a lot of tags up, but I will also put in each chapter which pairings are mentioned. Just don't expect major detail on those. Anyway, please see ending notes for more notes. Thanks~!

              Water is freedom. Water is open, wide, bright blue, intoxicating freedom. Well, not everyone felt that way at least. Most humans don’t even think twice about going into the open water known as the ocean. Most don’t have the courage to pursue such expansive freedom. In truth, those who do are often overwhelmed by the mere endless possibilities of what may lie ahead. Those who manage to survive either return to the shore to resume the life they once sought to leave; or they choose a life of the sea, forever roaming through the open water in the name of freedom. Once you decided on the freedom of water, there are three choices that await decision. One: join the Navy, where you served your life toward the royals and protected those on land; two: become a pirate, to forever pillage and steal from whoever may cross your path; or three: a privateer, a special contract of sorts between privately owned sea vessels and the navy who are authorized during wars to capture enemy ships. Privateers were free to do as they wanted when there were no wars; no running from officials and no doing anything that was illegal.

              Rin and his mates were some of the few who preferred the life at sea to that of one on land. The rush of the salty air on the face and the sometimes rough and completely unpredictable motions of the water was enough to keep them entranced. Though the life a Pirate seemed pretty flashy to most, these men preferred the life of Privateers. Rin was the captain and owner of the ship: Samezuka; that sailed through the ocean and was a force to reckon with during the times of war. He and his crew had captured many enemy ships in the name of the Royals, but still maintained their freedom to roam the massive ocean as they saw fit when there was a lull in the contract. That is where Rin’s true desires lie; searching the never ending water for the one item that eluded every single explorer before him. His men knew to be on the lookout for it no matter how long it took. Currently, they were sailing in search of the one thing...

              “Land on the port side!” a voice broke through the sound of the waves crashing against the stern of the boat where the captains’ quarters were.

              Rin bolted upright and ran from his quarters. Paying his crewmen no heed as he ran swiftly for the bow of the ship on the port side; he clambered up partially on the shrouds, allowing one foot to dangle over the side of the ship. Eyes wide, he held to the ropes with one hand as he raised his other to cover his brow to see a little better into the distance; the sun was unforgiving as ever during midday at sea. A slight hope bubbled into his chest as he saw the image of land coming into view. That hope was short lived as his face fell when the land mass came into full view. His body visibly sagged as he took in the sight before his eyes.

              “Captain,” a voice called from the deck to his left. “You should get back onto the deck and we can decide what we are going to do from here.”

              “Sousuke,” Rin whined, “I thought for sure we would have found it this time.”

              Rin swung himself from the shroud and back onto the deck with ease. Sighing, he looked up to see all of his crew members staring at him with wide eyes. Running a rough hand through his hair, he chuckled to himself as he thought about the folly he just sailed them into.

              “Drop anchor,” Rin said softly to Sousuke, “we will be searching this land for any sign.”

              Sousuke nodded before relaying the order to the crew with a gruff voice. Rin sighed again and turned to look at the land that had gotten his hopes up for a few fleeting days during the sail. What was he expecting though; the name on the map was ‘Siren Rock’ for goodness sake.

              “Rei!” he called as he pushed away from the wood and walked across the deck.

              “Captain,” the bespectacled man ran up to his side and kept pace with Rin as he walked.

              “Mark ‘Siren Rock’ as a waste of time,” Rin was getting more annoyed as he thought more about it. “A complete waste of the crew’s time!”

              “Captain…” Rei stated, “with all due respect. All of the research I have conducted, the wind direction, water temperature, and salt viscosity here would be perfect for the...”

              “Enough,” Rin swung his hand not even wanting to hear the name of the object they were searching for. “Sousuke, is the dingy ready?”

              “Aye Captain,” Sousuke called.

              “So glad you are my first mate,” Rin whispered to Sousuke as they climbed down the side of the Samezuka. “I would not be able to stand this crew otherwise.”

              “I think they feel the same about you,” Sousuke commented earning him a glare from the captain.            

              “Let us just get this search over with,” he sat down in the dingy. “Rei, you are in charge of the ship while we are searching!”

              “Aye Captain!” Rei called over the side as Sousuke and Rin, Sousuke really, rowed toward the land mass.

              It shouldn’t even be called a land mass Rin thought to himself as he watched the island named ‘Siren Rock’ draw even closer. Rock was such a fitting name for that is all it was: a jagged rock formation jutting out of the water. Rin had been in search of this for a long time, too long as some of his closer friends, his first mate Sousuke included thought. It was a lifelong dream of his, and he was nowhere near the point of giving it up.

              “Rin,” Sousuke called, now that they were alone he dropped the ‘Captain’, as he slowed his rowing as the rocks were close enough to dock to, “I hope this will finally show you that you need to stop searching for things that don’t exist.”

              “Shut it,” Rin snapped eyes fiery with passion, “I will never give up until I find at least one! How can you sit there and judge me when you help me with all of my adventures toward this end. We will search this rock for clues. I doubt there was nothing to the legends surrounding it.”

              Sousuke merely sighed and shook his head toward his lifelong friend and captain. There would be no persuading Rin from the course he had decided on for his life.

              Rin growled as he stood from the dingy just as it touched the rock and smoothly walked onto the surface of it. He could hear Sousuke sigh again as he walked away from the small boat. Glancing back, he saw his first mate tying off the dingy to a portion of the land before Sousuke started to follow. Walking swiftly, they quickly made their way across the rock formation to the other side without finding a single trace of another being ever having set foot on the island.

              ‘Siren Rock’ as the island was called, was a place that sailor’s tended to share lore about. Supposedly it was where a certain mystical creature lived and called to ships and crews leading them to their deaths. Most men figured it was an exotic place filled with wonder and lush trees where anyone could retire for the end of their days. However, it seemed that the lore of those old men tended to leave out the actuality of the island. It amassed to a formation about 2 miles wide and no greenery on it at all. Just a smooth grey scale rock formation; years of erosion from the ocean water had made it rather easy to walk on the smooth service, albeit a litter slippery.

              “This is rather small,” Rin sniffed as he watched the waves crash into a rather large arch. “Is that a cave?”

              “Rin, stop trying to see things…” Sousuke started but as the water receded he too saw the circular oval shaped hole in the island still connected to the water. “We would never get into it; the tide fills it up with every roll.”

              “Shame,” Rin glanced behind them into the distance. “Come! We have to return to the ship, there is a storm coming.”

              “Aye Rin,” Sousuke followed him back across the rather desolate and disappointing island.

              In the distance they could see the clouds turning dark and the wind was starting to pick up around them. The picked up their pace a bit as they got drizzled with salt water from a swell that crashed into a particularly high rock about 30 feet from the dingy. As they were clambering into the small ship, Rin paused a moment feeling as though he was being watched. Inhaling quickly, he whipped his head around in all direction scanning the horizon as far as he could.

              “Rin, I’ll need your help to make it back to the Samezuka smoothly,” Sousuke called his attention back.

              “Heh,” Rin laughed, “You never could do anything by yourself Sousuke. Let us not keep the men waiting.”

 

             Night fell swiftly among the rain that was pouring outside of the captain’s quarters. Rin was making his log, something he did daily if he could help it. That cave looked rather interesting. It was rare to see a cave along the water’s edge, let alone one that would fill up with the tide. He would give it a day or two to have Rei study the tides around the island and come up with a working theory of when the best time of day would be to explore the inside. A slight rapping at the door pulled Rin from his musings,

              “Come in,” he called gruffly.

              “I have dinner here Captain,” a small voice called.

              “Thank you Nitori,” Rin said after looking up briefly. “Please, place it over here.”

              “Aye Captain,” Nitori said as he did as he was told. “The storm is really rocking her tonight sir.”

              “That it is,” Rin rubbed a hand over his face before reclining in his chair. “Tell the crew to take cover for the rest of the night. I won’t have any of my men being swept overboard in this weather.”

              “Aye si…” Nitori was replying before he was interrupted by Momo storming in with his looking glass.

              “Captain Matsuoka!” the orange haired teen ran into the room soaking wet from the rain. “There is someone….someone trapped against the rocks. He…he is getting banged up pretty bad!”

              Rin’s eyes widened as he followed Momo out of his quarters and to the starboard side of the ship. The anchor may have been dropped, but that didn’t stop the wind from turning the ship as it liked. He took the spyglass from his crewman and held it to his eye and looked toward the rocks. He held his breath at what he saw as lightning continued to strike illuminating the sky: a young man was clearly trying to climb up the rocks to escape the swells but didn’t have any strength left and all he could do was hold on.

              “I’m going after him,” Rin called out. “Sousuke, Rei, you two follow in the dingy!”

              That was the only instructions he gave before he stripped to his pants and shirt, removing his pistols as his sword was in his quarters and quickly dove from the side of this ship.

              “Rin!” Sousuke called as he watched the red head dive overboard. “Damn, hurry you sea dogs! I needed to be in the water on that dingy five minutes ago!”

              Rin gasped as he came up for breath before continuing on to swim forward, using his arms and legs to propel him straight toward the rocks. Once he knew he was close enough, he waded in the water to get his baring…he could see the man clearly, with the help of the lightning strikes, grasping onto the rocks and glanced quickly back to see that Sousuke and Rei had in fact quickly gotten into the dingy and weren’t far behind. Finishing the distance, Rin grabbed onto the rocks next to the man whose back was bare.

              “Hey,” Rin called out over the howls of the wind, “are you okay?”

              When he received no answer, Rin slowly touched the man’s shoulder which caused the man to jump away from him and turn to him wide eyed. Rin’s breath caught in his throat as, just as lightning struck close to where they were, he stared at deep blue eyes the color of the ocean.

              “Rin, the swell!” Sousuke called pulling Rin from his stupor.

              Rin looked back over his shoulder as he saw a large wave heading straight for him and the man next to him. The last thing Rin remembered before the world around him went black was seeing a shimmering light blue swishing back and forth in the water.

              ‘Did I find one?’

**Author's Note:**

> So, I would also like to say a huge Thank You to my beta; SharkGirl; for letting me bounce ideas off of her and always being willing to read my randomness. She also lets me know if things don't make sense or if my characters are OOC. I'll see you next time!


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